IT'S DOUBLE DISMISSAL

WORTHING UNITED player-manager Ian Browne was sent off twice in this ill-tempered encounter on Saturday. Early in the game he was shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge. He left the pitch fuming, believing that a previous Chichester offence had gone unpunished.
By The Newsroom
Published 24th Mar 2005, 11:04 BST
Updated 8th Jun 2018, 00:57 BST

Soon after the interval Browne was in trouble again, after a further disagreement with the referee from the dug-out. This time he was asked to leave the arena entirely. He ended the game in the adjoining horse paddock, still carrying on his dialogue with the match officials.

To be fair, the referee had a difficult job, brandishing yellow cards to all and sundry.

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While all this was going on, Browne's team were displaying exceptional resilience in holding onto a point. After being reduced in number United's heads dropped for a time, and leading scorer Scott Tipper fired Chichester ahead in the 27th minute. It could have been worse had Steve Pickles not headed off the line a minute later.

But, encouraged by Pickles, United picked themselves up by the bootlaces and equalised seven minutes after going behind. Lee Bone headed in at the far post following the best move of the match.

In the second half the visitors used their spare man cleverly, stretching the home defence this way and that, but not applying the coup de gras.

Mike McCaffrey, his colossal throw-in again on display, was outstanding in United's defence until limping off just before the end with ankle ligament damage likely to terminate his season. Sonny Banks ran tirelessly at the front, with or without the ball. Once he beat the entire Chichester defence on a mazy run, but his finish was disappointing.

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Dean Fuller was another hero. The busier of the two goalies, he brilliantly touched over a couple of headers in the first half and, with the sun in his eyes in the second period, his handling was faultless.

In added time the visitors created one final chance but the ball flashed wide. Fuller booted the goal-kick high into the sky, and the referee signalled the end. For United, the draw must have seemed like a victory.

UNITED: Fuller; P.Brown, McCaffrey, Pickles, Raynsford; Webb, N.Shelley, J. Shelley, Bone; Banks, I. Browne. Subs: D.Di Paola, Texteira (McCaffrey 81), Schneider. Att: 44. United are twice at home at Easter '” against leaders Horsham YMCA on Saturday, and Southwick on Monday.

See this week's Worthing Herald for a cartoon of Saturday's game.

Related topics:Chichester